HEED HAVE A WILL TO WIN
AHarris 12 12TH-MINUTE strike from Will Harris ensured Gateshead ended Banbury United’s brave FA Trophy run on route to the quarter-finals.
Harris slotted home coolly past Puritans keeper Jack Harding to settle a game which ended with both teams down to 10 men after Banbury player Jay Williams and Gateshead’s Dan Ward were sent off for their part in a stoppage-time melee.
“It was a typical cup tie and we knew what we needed to do,” said relieved Gateshead player/boss Mike Williamson. “It was a potential banana skin, they made us work hard.
“Fortunately, we played on a very good pitch, but we have had to play away from home at the moment because we have maintenance problems on our home pitch.
“You want to win every single game, but the mentality has to be right.”
Williamson’s men started brightly and had an effort cleared off the line before Harris fired home inside the area to give his side the lead.
The National League side didn’t stop there either with Aaron Martin shooting wide and Adam Campbell forcing a save from Harding.
Kamil Conteh was twice off target in first-half stoppage time, while the best Banbury could muster was a penalty appeal after Kelvin Langmead went down in the box but the referee was unmoved.
The Puritans enjoyed their best spell of the game at the start of the second half with Cody Johnson’s shot testing Heed keeper James Montgomery. Lewis Storey also fired wide.
Gateshead, though, were pressing hard for the killer second goal with Harris seeing an effort saved by Hardand ing before substitute Lewis Knight put one on a plate for Ward but he fired over when it was easier to score.
Knight had a go himself but his effort was screwed wide, and Banbury almost made him pay in injury time but Langmead’s goalbound header was cleared off the line by Rob Tinkler.
The pressure got to Williams and Ward who saw red after Conteh was fouled, but the Heed held on amidst a tense finale.
Banbury boss Andy Wing said: “The first 15 minutes we gave too much respect
gave away a sloppy goal.
“In the second half we were much better, and then right at the end Gateshead were hanging on after we changed our shape, and then we started to dictate in the second half.
“If we play like that in the second half of the season, we will finish in the top half of the table.”
Regarding Williams’ sending-off, Wing added: “We are not that sort of team and he must learn from that.”
STAR MAN: Sam Brown (Banbury)
ATT: 840
ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★